Of course, we've talked about Chinese manufacturers creating rather interesting mashups of phone ideas by ignoring patent, trademark and copyright laws (sometimes all at once!). And the decision to file for a design patent is made that much more amusing when you consider how design patents were at the center of some of Apple's big case against Samsung (for the non-patent nerds out there, design patents are a bit different than what most people traditionally think of as patents, and some actually suggest that they're really closer to trademarks than "patents" in that they really just cover a basic design look and feel, rather than a method or process).

That said, the details of this "Chinese patent" are a bit sketchy. Was it just applied for? Or granted? No one seems to be saying. It could just be a joke. That said, we've been noting for quite some time that while the US has been pushing China to respect patents a lot more (due to lobbying pressure from US companies), China has been mocking them all by suddenly "enforcing" patents much more stringently... but almost alwaysagainst foreign companies and to benefit Chinese competitors. So, it's not completely crazy to suggest that a Chinese company might be able to secure such a patent and use it to stop Apple, though it would take a fair amount of chutzpah (or whatever the Chinese equivalent is) to make such a claim.

i hope this is true. Apple deserves to get screwed in the same way that they screw everyone else! no sympathy for them at all. just another greedy company that uses it's financial clout to stop less well off companies from suing it, then steals a design or something saying it belongs to them

Re: Chutzpah

Apple deserves it if this company is serious and they sue apple for stealing the design they stole from Apple. Apple showed with the Samsung lawsuits they don't care about competing by building a better phone anymore, they'd rather pull better cheaper competitors off the shelves.

Chutzpah?

So anyone else see this and find the only thing that is depressing about this whole story is that you can't run out and buy one yet? Ohh, the possibilitys! The awesomeness of an android phone with all the fun case options of the iPhone...

Not to mention I would be happy to support anything that annoys the big names such as Apple and Microsoft.

Ha ha

Please please please

Will someone tell me how to get one. I have a friend who 'must' have the new apple on the day of release so he can claim bragging rights down the bar. I want to show him whilst he is in the Apple queue. That has got to be the best spoiler ever.

Re:

Don't waste your money. I've been given a few of these types of knockoffs as promo swag before. They're not actually android OS, they look a bit like android, but the setting screens and impossible version ID numbers give away that the OS is developed in-house specifically to work with the cheapest hardware you can possibly imagine. Usually the whole graphical OS is a JVM skinned to look like the OS it's mimicing.

I even got a tablet once. It had buttons beneath the LED screen, (under the lighting element), and of course claimed to be "touch-screen". More like "click on the grid of hidden buttons screen". They're really terrible, cheap and flimsy devices held together mostly with spit, and a loose fold here and there.

I'd buy one if it was likely to be any good, the idea of an Android clone of the iPhone is pretty cool. But none of these devices are as good as the consumer grade crap that ships to American big-box stores. And none of the devices I've seen even have real Android versions running on them.

Re: Re:

LOL actually i have purchased a few tablet from China and there quality is really improving a lot, prices are not as low as you would think but you get more bang for your buck and they have devices that are approved by Google so have the google play store. Yes there are bad knock off's but there are good copies if you spend some time weeding out the good from the bad, I mean the one I purchased recently has a real true ips screen with excellent viewing angles and a clear sharp image. Prices are dropping but the Chines are starting to learn that they need local suppliers and some form of customer service, even if it is just sending a replacement if the one you got was faulty.

If there quality control is improved and they spend just that little bit more time in designing the devices they can and do compete with the best on sale everywhere.

Re:

Apple didn't originate that scheme, and this Chinese manufacturer won't be the last to use it, either. It happens quite frequently, I'm afraid. Small innovator comes up with great idea, but can't afford to patent it (can take several million in US patent process, and only gives you the right to sue) then along comes Mr. Deep-pockets-Sleazeball who copies it, patents it, and forces the originator to shut down with court papers because he can't afford to fight it. Also happens with bullshit software patents.
Yes, the US patent system is broken, on purpose.

Re: Re: Re:

there are others, but its amazing how far some of these chinese makers have come, Onda has been well known for years for their media players, Ainol, RAmos and Teclast as well....

I got a buddy an onda android tab that was one of the first in the world to get a working port of ICS its working great to this day....and its better in some ways then my touch pad.....(and was cheaper).....main way being its working well with a 64gb microsd card......(no slot on touchpad).....